When people are considering a new smartphone, they're constantly asking me "iPhone or Galaxy S?" But people searching for a new tablet never ask "iPad or Galaxy Tab?"

With its relentless marketing and range of products, Samsung has taken the lead in the global two-horse smartphone race. But the tablet market is different. It's still very much
Apple
's
iPad versus the others. Although Samsung has, globally, reached the No. 2 spot in tablet sales, it has yet to gain real mindshare.

It's not for a lack of trying. Keeping up with Samsung's interminable stream of tablets is like trying to keep track of "Fast and Furious" sequels. It has released nearly 40 distinct models in the time it has taken Apple to release its seven iPad models—10 in the past six months alone.

But with its newest Galaxy Tab S, Samsung has finally decided to apply its successful Galaxy S smartphone strategy: Build a premium, flagship product with better specs than Apple's, and then market the heck out of it.

Yes, I said "better." Arriving in stores next month, the Tab's hardware is an improvement over any preceding Samsung tablets, including a higher-resolution and brighter Super AMOLED screen, and a sleeker, more svelte design. It also boasts many features the iPad lacks, including a fingerprint sensor, a split-screen app mode and multiple-user account support. And even though both models are slightly larger, they're priced the same as Apple's iPad Mini and iPad Air: The 8.4-inch model starts at $399 and the 10.5-inch version at $499.

The Tab S has aped many of the successful hardware features of the Galaxy S line of phones and has matched the iPad's battery life and beaten the iPad on screen quality. But the tablet's downfall is the same as Samsung's flagship phone: sloppy, subpar software.

I like to imagine that deep in Samsung's labs, some mad scientist aimed his "Honey, I Blew Up the Kids" contraption at the Galaxy S5 smartphone and out of a billow of smoke emerged the Tab S. The tablet has the same plastic dimpled back, rounded rectangular home button and metallic frame around the screen as Samsung's newest phone.

However, at 0.25 inch thick, the Tab S is actually thinner than the smartphone and noticeably lighter than Apple's tablets. Both Tab S sizes are easier to hold up with one hand than the competing iPads. But as usual for Samsung, that lighter weight comes at the cost of a solid build. The plastic construction makes the tablets feel cheaper than the all-metal iPads.

Tablet Wars

It's the Tab S's 2560x1600 pixel display that makes it feel like the most premium tablet out there. The resolution is higher than the iPads' and the AMOLED screen—versus the LCD panels on the iPad and most tablets—makes everything pop. In some cases blues, greens and whites are oversaturated and don't appear as natural as iPad's display. But Samsung's adaptive display feature automatically adjusts the contrast and brightness in specific apps to compensate.

Bottom line: This is the ultimate Netflix tablet, delivering a jaw-dropping crisp picture with deep blacks and vibrant colors and playback of at least 10 episodes of your favorite hourlong TV show. Comparable with the respective-sized iPads, the smaller Tab S streamed over 10 hours of video and the larger model over 11 hours before their batteries gave out.

It's a great tablet to read on, too. The "Reading Mode" softens the background and sharpens the text while the AMOLED display cuts down on the glare in direct sunlight. It's still no E Ink screen, but on a sunny day viewability was dramatically better on the Tab S with brightness set at 75% than the iPad at maximum brightness.

But that commendable hardware engineering is soured by the same cluttered software experience of the Galaxy S5. The tablets are littered with third-party apps, promotional widgets for Samsung's services and unsightly custom trimmings that add little value. And despite the tablet's octo-core processor (yes, eight cores), the bloat seems to cause sporadic slowdowns and even stuttering in apps. It's unfortunate because underneath all the junk there are a few really useful new features.

With multi-window mode, I was able to keep an eye on Gmail while surfing the Web using Chrome. The feature, which is a staple of Windows 8.1 and may eventually turn up on iPads, really does improve the multitasking experience. However, I couldn't get many of my favorite third-party apps to work in side-by-side viewing, including Spotify and Twitter. (Many of those apps still haven't even been optimized for Android tablets. You get better designed apps on the iPad.)

There's support for multiple user accounts, too, another feature that would be nice to have on the iPad. Up to eight users can log in with their fingerprints. But like Samsung's phone, swiping requires much more precise maneuvering than it should. On more than one occasion, I was locked out of the tablet for 30 seconds after trying to swipe my registered finger too many times. A company spokeswoman said "improvements to the scanner are on the radar."

ENLARGE

Samsung's new Galaxy Tab S tablets are available with two different sized displays: 8.4-inches and 10.5-inches. They are thinner than the Galazy S5 smartphone.
Patrick Conlon/The Wall Street Journal

Samsung is working as hard as Google, Apple and Microsoft on what I call the "ecosystem trap": engineering their own devices to work better together. When the Galaxy S5 and Tab S are within Wi-Fi range from each other (about 100 meters), you can remotely navigate the phone via the tablet's screen, transfer files between devices, access all your phone apps and even text and talk on the phone. The feature, called Side Sync, works very well and can be useful if you don't want to miss a call or text while your phone is charging in another room.

After years of indistinguishable Samsung tablets, the Tab S's gorgeous screen, rail-thin design and long battery life make it the best tablet the company has ever made. Though not the best tablet ever made.

Like smartphones, tablet technology has hit a point where hardware components don't matter as much as the software that let's us manipulate them. To that end, the Tab S doesn't push the category forward enough, nor can it a match the iPad's clean and simple interface or its breadth of tablet-optimized apps.

Of course, that might not matter. Samsung has finally delivered a tablet equivalent of one of the world's most popular smartphones—and given those who have bought that phone a few compelling reasons to buy a Tab S over an iPad. That may work just enough to get a lot more people asking "iPad or Galaxy Tab…S?"

Don't understand what the fuss about this "new" tablet is about. The writer just described the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 LTE I bought it earlier this year. This one, updating from a 5 year old first generation Viewsonic 3g, absolutely flies. That aside, I agree with the comments on reviewing the software set as part of any product review.

As apple intended with the iPad and it's ecosystem, I'm one of the captives. I'm handcuffed and chained to my hundreds of apps (DON'T JUDGE ME!) and multiple generations of iPads. I'm getting the next one in the highest WiFi only configuration the moment it is available...kids college fund be da__mned (again...DON'T JUDGE ME!!!).

I love Samsung. My family currently owns 3 iPads, but I've never been attracted to the iPhone. I like being able to swap out batteries and putting in my own micro SD card, things the iPhone doesn't allow you to do. When it comes to tablets, nothing exists for me outside of the iPad and I'm very much ok with that. Yes, they'll keep treating me like a

This article is 95% about hardware. But what about the software that enables a collection of plastic and chips to perform like a computer? The article says very little on that subject, and places such tidbits in inconspicuous spots.

Next-to-last paragraph: "Tablet technology has hit a point where hardware components don't matter as much as the software that let's us manipulate them. To that end, the Tab S doesn't push the category forward enough, nor can it a match the iPad's clean and simple interface or its breadth of tablet-optimized apps."

Just don't forget... you won't be able to play anything you own in your Amazon Video On Demand library on any of these Android tablets. Inexplicably, there's no app available and Amazon has blocked playing their videos via Flash on these tablets (if you can even get Flash loaded, that is.) That's ONE MILLION android-platform owners that Mr. Bezos has chosen to ignore except, of course for those who have purchased one of his Android-based Kindle tablets.

I am not a religious convert to either platform (ios/android) and use both regularly. But I must say that I am exhausted by both companies' attempt to capture and control the customer under the guise of managing the full user experience. Remember when your blackberry phone seamlessly connected to your windows laptop and synced and backed up all your contact and email info? Try that with Kies and Apple. Not a chance. No Java, no multi-photo downloads. And the reviewer has it exactly right on Android - one of the worst "operating" systems ever that severely limits end-user controls. Ever try deleting those Picasa photos that mysteriously appear on your Galaxy phone? Every try stopping, removing or controlling Google music or other apps from running or upgrading?

Just saying that the new Microsoft Surface Pro 3 could be the game changer for me.

Your chart is incorrect. The Nexus 10 runs Android 4.4.4 (Google updated mine last night, I assume everyone else's is getting the same update and a new device will try to automatically upgrade itself when switched on).

Having said that, the battery on the (Samsung-made) Nexus 10, which is apparently insufficiently powerful to support the screen, combined with what seem - still - to be buggy screen/network drivers, still make for an appalling experience on that machine, which is at odds with many journalist reviews of the device and this is after the device has been in the market (and for much of its life orphaned by both Google and Samsung) for well over a year. This in turn makes me think the issues you're seeing with app slowdown/stuttering (Chrome is almost unusable on the Nexus 10) will neither go away nor get fixed, as Samsung moves to its next device.

In contrast my iPad 2 is still perfectly usable and (lest I seem to be Android-bashing) so are my Nexus 7 and my Nexus 5. But I think if I buy another 10" Android tab, it won't be made by Samsung.

"But the tablet's downfall is the same as Samsung's flagship phone: sloppy, subpar software."

Yep, I agree, which is why I continue to use my iPhone and iPad.

I'm not saying the Samsung products aren't really good, and in some ways superior to the iDevices. I'm saying that in my opinion, the bottom line is the iDevices are better when you look at the total picture. Others may disagree, but there's nothing wrong with that. It's all opinion anyway.

Here's the scoop: Older tablets still work & do the job, so, if you don't have one, then maybe this puppy is a good buy. Then again, as long as the older tablets work, why replace 'em?

The two DESIGN FLAWS here (as far as I am concerned) is that none of these tablets have an easily replaceable battery & few have a MicroSD slot to add memory. Then again, these puppies are designed as (very expensive) throw-aways after only a few years of use.

@Thomas Wyrick - Samsung has to release the hardware before developers can create apps that take advantage of the new features of the tablet. I think you'll see apps written for the 2560 x 1600 screen resolution before long.

Maybe in a few months Samsung will replace the plastic frame with metal, and this version will come to be seen as the early adopter model. It would serve the purpose of making it available to the developer community to get those killer apps that users (and Samsung) wants.

You can run security software on Android tablets, but the biggest issue as with most tablet (iOS and Android) is the overreaching permissions. Both iOS and Android offer "tracking" and lock/wipe capabilities. You can use the native Google Android Device Manager or one of the many 3rd party applications out there.

I'm not sure what you mean by frozen OS on Android devices. If you purchase any of the Google Nexus tablets you're updated very quickly after a release. Google has also split their app functionality away from the overall ROM so that many pieces of Android are updates immediately through Google's Play services. It's a nice way of handling the updates for a variety of reasons. There's no reason a patch to calendar or camera app should have to be tied to an entire OS upgrade.

You're correct there needs to be more discussion of the software. That's harder for a reviewer because that takes time and use and nowadays reviews have to be pumped out quickly to compete with the other sites.

There's really no such thing as a tablet app in Android. I can tell you that with my Nexus 7 and the Google Play, Amazon App Store (and there are others). I've never felt shortchanged. Some apps stink, but they stink across all platforms. Actually app counts are just silliness. It's not how many apps there are (90% of which are games), but are the quality apps that people rely on available. I would say that's true for iOS and Android at the present time.

@Thomas Wyrick exactly my thoughts, first of which was specifically: what can I hack on this device or is it, like the iPad, elegant hardware hardcoded to be a perpetual revenue stream for the builder.

@Ned Levi I think you hit it right on the nail. Samsung has for years proven itself as a worth contender in terms of hardware. They can keep up with just about anybody (Apple included). However, the bloatware is atrocious, and I don't see that changing anytime soon. Samsung is quite bent on copying Apple's model in every way, shape or form. They should focus what they do best: hardware.

@Ned Levi Samsung follows the "spaghetti on the wall" form of product release. Just check out the different sizes of phones & tablets over the past few years! Software-wise, they are using versions of Android, so the "sloppy, subpar software" is not just Samsung!

@David Ecale I remember sitting in a meeting and hearing people state that we just didn't need processors/computers that were faster than a 286 because what we had did the job just fine.

If a piece of technology works for you there's no reason to replace it, but if the productivity/expense ratio makes sense then it's time to swap.

When looking at a device and the need for user-replaceable batteries and expandable memory I think you have to consider the marketplace. Those features are important in a business model and mostly unused by many/most consumers. Neither Android or iOS make accessing/utilizing external memory very easy or intuitive.

@David Ecale I agree. I have a Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 tablet and it works great after more than two years. I love the S-Note app, IMO is the best note taking tool for a tablet or smartphone ever. I've stopped taking paper notes. All of my engineering notes are on S-Note where I can export them as PDF or JPG. In addition, I can share S-Note between my Samsung devices in an almost effortless manner. Regarding design flaws: I suppose the battery is difficult to replace, but I've never had to think about that in over two years of continuous use. The Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 has the capability to support up to 64GB on a micro-SD card. It's great.

@David Ecale@Ned Levi ah but the drivers are not standard Android, they're device specific and for obvious reasons very new and not widely used when associated with a brand new high end device. On the Nexus 10 the screen driver isn't even open source (otherwise it would have been fixed by now).

@Jim Markey@David Ecale Yes, I know. My SPH-P100 has a 32GB MicroSD in it. I also have a copy of a YouTube Video showing how to replace the battery. And, YES! it's not an easy task. So, it'll be a gamble when the current battery dies. (It is retired to use mainly with the Kindle APP at this point. And, the original firmware version, too boot, as the newer version(s) pigged it out!)

Most tablets now seem to come with fixed memory & batteries & that's it! I was just stating that many of the newer tablets (& phones) no longer have these options. My Palm Treo650 had easy access to replacing the battery & adding an SD card. It is no longer ready for prime time, but I still keep it charged & in my PickUP truck as an emergency 911 device. (It is on its third battery!)

@Ken Schoenberg @David Ecale The folks at CDC said the same thing about Mainframe Computers in the '70s. One of their chief designers decided that this wasn't the case & started a new hardware oriented company: Cray Research. He had a good 30+ year run before the next wave of hardware design outpaced his systems.

And, also, there is the factor of pricing & revenue for the manufacturer. If there is no expansion slot, then the manufacturer can charge extra for more memory.

Old Technology does have some advantages, so long as the job is done: 1) Lower cost to purchase; 2) Inexpensive cost to have spares; and 3) for cameras where photos are archived to a site where space is limited, smaller photos require no shrinking to fit.

When I was checking on assets for a bank. I started with a paper journal, then went to custom printed 5x8 index cards, and finally to a database program on a Samsung Galaxy Tab. I used Kodak DC280 & DC3400 cameras (~ $25 each on eBay). The cameras would burn out after about 12,000 photos & be replaced.

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